It’s a moment fans have wanted to see since the character first appeared on screen – the legendary Sith Lord fully unleashing his Force powers and skills – but it almost didn’t happen!

This jaw-dropping scene didn’t feature in the original script, and was only conceived and filmed during the editing process, a mere four months prior to Rogue One’s release.

The scramble to add the scene was worth it though, if the monumentally positive fan reaction is anything to go by!

5. “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” – The Wizard Of Oz

When you hear the title “The Wizard of Oz,” chances are that you immediately think of Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, delivering a wistful, poignant rendition of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”.

It’s one of cinema’s all-time classic musical numbers, and later came to be considered Garland’s signature song. But did you know The Wizard of Oz’s stand-out scene very nearly didn’t make the final cut?

The studio heads at MGM had numerous issues with “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”, which ranged from the reasonable to the ridiculous!

Complaints included that the musical number made the film’s opening over-long, that its subject matter would be confusing to children, and – best of all – that having Garland perform in a barnyard was demeaning!

Fortunately, director Victor Fleming and several producers lobbied hard for the song’s inclusion, and thanks to their efforts, film history was made!

4. The Joker Gives His Approval – The Dark Knight

Christopher Nolan isn’t know for being overly fond of actor improvisation, but that doesn’t mean the director isn’t open to input from the cast when it works.

Whilst not present in the movie’s original shooting script, Nolan wisely kept this unplanned addition, lending the scene an unsettling air that remains blackly comic – somewhat like the villainous clown himself!

3. The Fellowship Takes The Stairs – The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

Given the sumptuous visuals on display in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, you’d be forgiven for thinking that director Peter Jackson was given a blank cheque to realise his vision for the movies.

However, that’s far from the case, and according to the audio commentary for The Fellowship Of The Ring, at least one planned action set piece had to be scrapped due to budgetary constraints.

Originally, when the Fellowship is fleeing from the demonic Balrog in Moria, the big fiery beasty was going to soar over them as they made their way down the most impractical staircase this side of Hogwarts!

However, it was quickly determined that the additional man hours required to realise the visual effects involved made it cost-prohibitive and the scene was replaced with something more affordable.

To be perfectly honest, this revised sequence seems like a real improvement over what Jackson and co had planned.

For starters, the Fellowship’s efforts to navigate the crumbling stairs whilst dodging volleys from orc archers is already incredibly thrilling, without throwing a fire monster into the mix.

But more importantly, by continuing to delay the full reveal of the Balrog, Jackson is able to further ratchet up the tension until the creature finally arrives!

2. Puppy Love At The Dinner Table – Lady And The Tramp

The “dinner date” in Lady And The Tramp isn’t just one of the most famous scenes in the movie – it’s one of the most well-known in any film, ever!

But interestingly enough, Walt Disney himself wasn’t initially a huge fan of the concept, fearing that a pair of pooches chowing down on spaghetti would be more ludicrous than remarkable.

Disney was so sure that the scene would be a disaster that he was on the verge of cutting it throughout pre-production, despite the pleading of animator Frank Thomas.

It wasn’t until Thomas delivered his first take on the sequence that ol’ Walt at last relented, thoroughly blown away by how cute – and genuinely romantic – it was!

1. Indiana Jones Brings A Gun To A Knife-Fight – Raiders Of The Lost Ark

In a truly epic “bait and switch”-style moment in Raiders Of The Lost Ark, an exhausted Indiana Jones famously shoots a swordsman with his revolver, rather than engage in a lengthy duel.

It’s a hilarious gag that not only plays with audience expectations, but also establishes Indy as more of a down-and-dirty scrapper than a noble warrior – and it was never supposed to happen!

Director Steven Spielberg originally intended for our hero to face-off against his opponent utilising his signature whip.

However, star Harrison Ford was suffering from dysentery and arrived on set not up for filming the elaborately choreographed fight.

Instead, Spielberg and Ford decided on the spot that Indy would instead simply draw his piece and a blow his enemy away, creating big screen gold in the process!

That’s it from me – now it’s your turn! What are your favourite amazing scenes that almost never happened!